Bottle cap or closure



Oct'. 4, 1927. J. STIRISS V 1,643,965

BOTTLE CAP OR CLOSURE Filed Nov. 26. 1926 rename a, new.

raras ifiddfltifi PATENT @FMQE.

JACUB BTIEIBE, 018 NEW YORK, N. RC, ABQIGNOB TO THE LARVEK CORPORATION,03 BROOKLYN, NEW HERE, A CORPORATION 013 NEW YORK.

BQ'IETILE (31 k? GE, CLOl'lURE.

Application filed November 26, 1928. Serial No. 150,781.

This invention relates to closures generally, but is more particularlyadapted for employment as a cap for bottles provided with integrallyformed radially extending 5 lugs circumferentially spaced about thenecks thereof.

The cap or closure of the present invention is primarily a sheet metalcap. Sheet metal caps have long been used for closing bottles, jars,etc., and have been constructed in various ways. For example, it iscommon practice to emboss threads on the skirt of the cap and provide ahelical thread on the bottle neck. Furthermore. caps have been madewithembossed bayonet joints in the skirts thereof and which embossed jointsare adapted to cooperate with lugs on the bottle neck. Caps of thischaracter have,

. however, not met with favor for the reason that it is practicallyimpossible to thus shape the parts for proper repetitive cooperationwith the lugs.

The most common form of cap now in use, is that wherein the free edgeofthe skirt is provided with inwardly turned flanges adapted tocooperate with threads or lugs formed on the bottle. This last mentionedtype of cap is economical to manufacture, but experience has shown thata cap adapted for repetitive use cannot be satisfactorily produced byint-urning flanges from the free edge of a cap skirt. The metal employedin the cap must necessarily be light and when the cap is used the lugsbecome bent and "will not produce a tight seal.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple,eflicient and economical cap or closure for jars, bottles and the like,which is susceptible to long repetitive use for the production of tightseals without distortion of the cap.

in practically carrying out the invention,

the cap is struck up from sheet metal and is provided witha'skirt, thefree edge of I which is returned upon itself and preferably rolled toform a finished edge and at the same time produce a reinforcing flange.The main body of the skirt above the flange is formed into integral.alternate segments of diii'erent diameters. That is to say, everyother-segmental portion of the skirt is of one diameter, suficientlylarge to fit over the lugs of 'a bottle neck, while every other intermediate segmental portion of the skirt is 5 of a smaller diametersufliciently large to closely embrace the neck of said bottleimmediately below the lugs. Each of the smallersegmental portions of theskirt is provided with a circumferentially disposed o ning which ispunched out from the wall ot the skirt and said openings are of suchlength that both ends of the openings prefera ly extend into the nextadjacent segmental portions of the larger diameter. This is t epreferred construction although, if desired, only one end of eachopening may be extended as described. l

The successive segmental portions'of the skirt circumferentially form acontinuation of one another, being joined together by easy, sweepingcurves and the extended ends of the several openings extend into thesecurved portions to a point in each radially distant from the center ofthe cap, slightly less than the overall radial dimension of the lugs.Such a cap may be placed on the neck of the bottle by lowering the capover the mouth of the neck with the larger segmental portions of theskirt juxtaposed with the lugs on the bottle neck, so that when the capcomes to 30 rest on top of the bottle, the lugs will be housed withinthe larger segmental ortions of the cap. The openings in the sma lersegmental portions are ositioned at substantially the same elevation asthe lugs occupy when the cap is thus placed, and to lock the cap on thebottle said cap must be rotated to bring the lugs into said openings.However, in order to thus position the parts, it is necessary to passeach lug through that end of the adjacent opening which is of a lessdistance firom the axis of the bottle than the overall radius of the lugand this can only be accomplished by applying sufiicicnt "force to flexthe skirt at the end of the openings to permit the lugs to slip by.

In practice, this does not require the expenditure of a great amount offorce, but it requires suilicient to be readily perceptible, and,furthermore, after the lugs have been sprung through these constrictedportions, the will maintain their positions in the slots an will notbecome released through inadvert'ent rotation of the arts, since saidparts will be in effect locke together. This 105 will be apparent fromthe fact that after the lugs have passed by the constrictions, the endsof the slots will spring back to their normal form and lock the partsagainst H retrograde movement.

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The foregoing manner of associating a cap with thelugs of the bottleneck constitutes the basis of this invention and provides for a lockedconstruction of simple, durable and repetitive character embodying noseparate movable parts and susceptible of economical manufacture.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will beapparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when readin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of theinvention, but the construction therein shown is to be understood asillustrative, only, and not as delining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a cap embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the same secured to a bottle neck.

, Figure 3 is an underneath plan view of the cap removed from thebottle.

Figure 4 is a section on the line M of Figure 1.

Figures 5 and 6 are sections on the line 6- 8 or Figure 2. The former ofthese views shows the cap loosely positionedon the bottle, while thelatter shows the cap turned into tight sealing position on said neck.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmental section of a portion of the cap andone of the lugs of a bottle showing, graphically, the manner in whichthe cap is flexed to permit the lugs to move into and out of the lugreceiving slots of the cap skirt.

The cap or closure of the present invention is adapted for use onbottles, jars or similar containers, but, for the purpose ofillustration, 1 have shown the invention as a bottle cap. In thedrawings, 1 designates a cap generally. It is stamped up from sheetmetal to form a shell, which, in the form of Figures 1 to 6 embodies aclosed that top and a depending skirt having an open bottom. The-bottomedge of the slmirt is circular and is returned or rolled upon itself, asshown at 2, to form a reinforcing llange or ring and to provide afinished edge. That portion of the skirt above the ring 2 is formed ontwo distinct diameters. That is to say, the segmental portions 3 are ofgreater diameter than the intermediate segmental portions 4. In otherwords, the

portions 4} maybe referred to as re-entrant portions.

5 designates the neck of a bottle with which the cap is adapted tocooperate. This neck is provided near its top with a plurality ofradially extending lugs 6, which, in practice, are preferably soconstructed that their under side abutments 7 will be substantiallyflat, as best shown in Figure 4:. These abutments, in order to properlydraw from the mold, generally have a slight inclination and where theyjoin the neck of the bottle there must be a slight fillet, but, for thebest results, the said fillet should be as small as possible and theabutment faces 7 should be as fiat as possible. Three lugs 6 are shownon the neck of the bottle, and, accordingly, the cap is provided with acorresponding number of the larger segments 3 and a like number of theinterposed smaller segments i. The interior radius of the cap at thelarger segments is equal to or slightly greater than the radius of theneck of thebottle at and including the projecting lugs 6, while theinterior radius of the smaller segments 4 is equal to or slightlygreater than the radius of the neck of the bottle directly below theabutments 7.

The skirt of the cap is formed, so that it will be circumfcrentiallycontinuous. That is to say, the skirtis formed so that the larger andsmaller sections join one another in smooth and even curves, as shownbest in Figures 5 and 6.

in order to cooperate with the lugs 6. each of the reentrant portions isprovided with a circumferential slot, at least one end of which extendsinto one of the larger contiguous segments 3. The extension at one endof the slot is sufiicient, within the present invention, but, inpractice, I preferably extend both ends of each slot into the twocontiguous segments 4 of the larger diameter, as clearly shown inFigures 2 and 5. These extensions of the slots are designated 8. Thedegree to which the portions 8 of the slots 8 extend into the largersegmental portions of the skirt, is of primary importance in thisinvention, as is graphically shown in Figure 7.

lln this figure, the radius of the interior of the larger segmentalportions 3 is designated R The outer or overall diameter of the lugs ofthe neck is designated R and the portions 8 of the slots 8 which extendinto the portions 3 terminate at aradius R lln other words, the termini8 of the slot extensions 8* are normally spaced from the axis of the capa distance equal to R As is ap arent from Figure 7, the radius R, isslig 'tl'v less than the radius R,, while the radius radius R 1 Thedifierence between the latter two radii is to permit of slightclearance, while the diiderence between the former two radii is topreclude the free passage of the lugs apast the termini 3 The sheetmetal from which the cap is manufactured, however, possesses suiiicientinherent resiliency to permit of a flexing or springing of the terminalabutments 8 when they are subjected to outward radial pressure, without,however, permanentlydetorrning the cap at these points.

When the cap is lowered over the bottle neck, the lugs will be housedwithin the lit, is slightly greater than the.

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- acaaaaa larger segmental portions 3 and each lug will occupy aposition within the respective larger segmental portion of the cap, asshown in full linesin Figure 7. In order to secure the ca to the bottle,the cap should be rotate in a clockwise direction in Figure 7, and whenthis is done, the rounded end of each lug will bear a ainst the capskirt in the immediate proximity of the abutment 8 and will cause suchabutment to be sprung outwardly from its normal full line position ofFigure 7 to the dotted line position of such figure, to permit the lug 6to pass by said abutment and enter the slot 8. As rotation of'the ca iscontinued, said cap is moved to bring eac lug S'whollywithin thecorresponding slot 8 and as each abutment 8" passes the rear end of thecorresponding lug, such abutment will return to its normal unflexedposition and the partswill'appear, as shown in Figure 6,. l

When the cap is positioned with all of the lugs whollywlthin therespective segments of smaller diameter, the cap will be locked in placeagainst? inadvertent rotation for the reason that in order to remove thecap, the abutments must be sprung as described and the force required todo this must be positively supplied.

It should be noted that in practice the difference between the radii Rand R is relatively small. A marked difierence is not essential toproducethe locking engagement referred to and if the distance is toogreat, the abutment 8" will be stressed beyond its elastic limit andwill become permanently, distorted. For the best results, there shouldbe no permanent distortion of the cap if a trulyrepetitive cap is toresult.

In order that the tightest possible seal may result when the cap isturned into sealin position as described. the lower edge 9 0 each slot 8is preferably slightly arched, as shown in Figure 2, so as to be highestin the center, although this feature may be modified without; departingfrom the invention. If the surface 9 is made perfectly flat, asatisfactory seal will result for the reason that the springing of thecap'as described will cause the cap to be pulled down tightly over themouth of the bottle.

A caret'ul analysis of the mode of operation ot' the cap in forming theseal shows that it embodies a high degree of mechanical cficiency. Forexample, it will be apparent from Figures t and 5, that those parts 4"of the re-entrant ortions directly below the slots will closely ug theneck of the bottle, so that the edges 9 engage with the lug abutments 7at the base of the lugs. 'llhere will thus be relatively little tendencyof the cap to flex radially outward to disengage the lower edges of theslots from these lugs.

Furthermore, the lower edges 9 of the slots are substantially flat in aradial direction and this fact, of itself, minimizes the tendency ofoutward radial slippage with respect to the lugs. These fiat clampingsurfaces are almost impossible to obtain by embossing or bendingoperations, such as have been common under the prior practice in theformation of embossed bayonet slots or bent in flanges. Inasmuch as thesealing stresses are applied to the lugs directly adjacent the neck ofthe bottle, there will be little possibility of breaking at? the lugs asthere is practically no leverage at this point of engagement.

The portions 4'of the skirtand reinforcing flange dr ring 2 cooperate toimpart strength to the free edge of the skirt, and, as Wlll be apparentfrom Figure 4, fully reinforce the inclined e es 9 of the slots. Theseedges may be slig tly stressed in a downward direction, as the cap isforced into sealing position, so that the parts of a the presentinvention the segmental portions- 3 of the skirt of the shell constitutepassages extending longitudinally of the skirt and into which lugs areadapted to be received during the placing of the closure on thereceptacle, From these longitudinal passages, the circumfercntiallydisposed slots extend the inlet ends of which slots are formed topresent a radial constriction to the lugs as the closure is rotated tobring it into sealing position. This radial constriction constitutes alock which efi'ectually precludes the inadvertent release of the closurefrom the 111 The closure is such as to function e 'ciently, may beeconomically manufactored and may be used repetitively for indefiniteperiods "without distortion.

The accompanying drawings show the invention in its prclcrrcd practicalform, but the invention is to be understood as fully commensurate withthe a pended claims.

Havino thus lljy dcscri ed the invention, what i him as new and desireto secure by Letters Pat n '"modying a metal shell "to nod with 4segmental portions of which are a of dlflel'cnt characters,

the larger a. is sutliciently great to embrace the lugs of a cooperatingreceptacle and the smaller at which oi size to close- 1y fit thereceptacle directly beneath the lugs, and the seental portions of thesmaller diameter being provided in spaced relation to the lower edgeotthe skirt with circumierentially disposed slots at least one larger tothe smaller segmental portions of the skirt and vice versa.

2. A closure embodying a metal shell, the free edge of which is providedwith a reinforcing flange, segmental portions of the side wall of theshell being alternately of different diameters, the larger of which issufficiently great to embrace the lugs of a cooperating receptacle andthe smaller of which is of a size to closely fit the recep tacledirectly beneath the lugs, and the segmental portions of the smallerdiameter being provided in spaced relation to the lower edge of theskirt with circumferentially disposed slots at least one end of each ofwhich extends into an adjacent segmental portion of the larger diameterand terminates in a yielding abutment normally spaced from the axis ofthe closure a distance less than the overall radius of said. lugs,whereby it is necessary to flex said abutments to pass the lugs from thelarger to the smaller segmental portions of the skirt and vice versa.

3. A closure embodying a metal shell, the free edge of which is circularand is returned upon itself to provide a reinforcing ring, segmentalportions of the side wall of the shell above the ring being alternatelyof different diameters,-the larger of which is sufiiciently great toembrace the lugs of a cooperating receptacle and the smaller of which'isof a size to closely lit the receptacle directly beneath the lugs, andthe segmental portions of the smaller diameter being provided in spacedrelation to the lower edge of the skirt with circumlerentially disposedslots at least one end of each of which extends into an adjacentsegmental portion of the larger diameter and terminates in a yieldingnormally spaced trom the axis or? the closere, a distance less than theoverall radius of said lugs, whereby it is necessary to flea saidabutments to ass the lugs from the larger to the smal er segmentalportions of the skirt and vice versa.

l; A. closure embodying a metal shell having a skirt portion providedwith a plurality of circumterentially disposed openings adapted toreceive lugs of a cooperating receptacle, the entrance of each of saidopenings being or less radius than the overall radius of the receptaclelugs, whereby the skirt is radially stressed when the lugs enter andleave said openings.

5. A closure embodying a metal shell formed with a skirt having meansdefining passages into which the lugs of the receptacle may be moved byrelative axial movement between the closure and the receptacle and alsoprovided With passages extending circumferentially of the closure andleading from the firstmentioned passages, the inlet end of eachcircumferential passage being formed with a radially yieldableconstriction adapted to be stressed radially solely outwardly by themovement of said lugs into and out of said circumferential passages.

6. A closure embodying a sheet metal shell having a skirt provided withcircumferentially extending slots the major portions of the len ths ofwhich are spaced a uniform distance iro'm the axis of the skirt and atleast one end portion of each slot terminating in an abutment spacedfrom the axis of the cap a distance less than the overall radius of thelugs of a receptacle with which the closure is adapted to cooperate,said abutments being radially yieldable to permit the lugs of thereceptacle to enter and leave the slots.

7. A closure embodying a sheet metal shell provided withcircumferentially disposed passages adapted to be engaged and disengagedwith lugs on a receptacle by relative rotation between the shell andreceptacle, the inlet ends of said passages being radially constrictedto necessitate radial stressing of the shell during the engagement anddisengagement-oi the passages with the lugs,

in testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

JAGGB STIRISS.

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